A silver and enamel brooch made by former Guild of Handicraft enamelist William Mark between 1908 and 1920.

William Mark was born in Victoria, Australia, in 1868. He learned enamelling skills in Australia before moving to England in the mid 1890s. He joined the Guild of Handicraft in Chipping Campden in 1902 where he worked for Charles Robert Ashbee as a silversmith and enamellist. He worked alongside the other Guild enamellist, F.C. Varley, producing some incredible enamels for the Guild. Many of these were exhibited at the Arts and Crafts Exhibition Society exhibitions. When the Guild went into liquidation in 1908 a few of the workers remained in Chipping Campden and continued to trade under the name of Guild of Handicraft. William Mark remained in Chipping Campden until 1920 when he returned to Australia.

This enamel dates to the period where William Mark remained in Chipping Campden, presumably working alongside George Hart and others at the Guild’s workshop. This dates the piece to between 1908 and 1920.

The piece is not hallmarked but is marked to the back with “W. Mark, Campden, Glos”. It is a very simple mount with a rope twist edge. The enamel itself is very vibrant with various shades of green and yellow.